Paula Patton's Precious Moments

As surprises go, this one was pretty sweet. Midway through her Women's Health photo shoot at a New York City studio, actress Paula Patton is interrupted by the unexpected delivery of an enormous arrangement of roses and lilies from a not-so-secret admirer: her husband, R&B singer Robin Thicke, 32. "He's so good about sending flowers," she says with a smile. "He does it consistently."

Yes, it's nice to be Paula these days. Not only is the 34-year-old enjoying major accolades for her role as Ms. Rain, the heroic teacher in the emotionally powerful film Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, but she and Robin are also expecting their first baby (they got the happy news not long before the aforementioned photo shoot; she's due this spring). The actress curls up on a leather sofa in the studio and talks animatedly about becoming a mom. "You can get into that cycle of 'What's next? What's next?' " she says. "But I thought, I want to have children, and I'm not getting any younger. But I didn't know if it would be hard for me to get pregnant." Not to worry. Shortly after going off birth control, Paula was with child, prompting Robin to brag about his supersperm. "He's so proud of himself, it's ridiculous," says Paula with a laugh.

Playing the Part The charmed life Paula is now living is a far cry from the grittiness portrayed in Precious, Lee Daniels's film about the salvation of a poor, illiterate teenage victim of abuse and incest. To prepare for the role, Paula spent weeks shadowing a teacher at a New York City alternative school. On set, she tried to stay in character by keeping a distance from the actresses who play her students, including the movie's star, Gabourey Sidibe. That didn't last long. "The way she walked and talked, I thought she was [as sad as] Precious," Paula recalls. Within a week, though, she discovered the real "Gabby"—friendly and upbeat. "In the makeup trailer, she'd say, 'Did you guys see The Hills this weekend?' I was like, Who are you?"

Paula knows what it's like to be misunderstood. Growing up in L.A., the daughter of a white teacher and an African-American defense attorney, it wasn't easy to fit in. "People judged me because I was light-skinned. [They'd assume] I didn't want to be part of the black race," she says. In fact, Paula, who has been referred to as biracial, says it's a word she doesn't care for. "I find it offensive. It's a way for people to separate themselves from African-Americans...a way of saying 'I'm better than that.' I'm black because that's the way the world sees me. People aren't calling Barack Obama biracial. Most people think there's a black president."

A Change in Plans After graduating from high school, Paula headed off to the University of California at Berkeley for a semester, then studied at the University of Southern California's film school. Eventually, she found work as a producer for the Discovery Health Channel's Medical Diaries, but she ditched the documentaries to try her hand at screenplay writing. It wasn't the right fit."I didn't have the passion," she says.

What she did have was an epiphany. "I'd loved to act since I was little," she says. "So I thought, Screw it! I have nothing to lose." About a year later, she landed a part in Will Smith's 2005 film Hitch, then in 2006 starred with Denzel Washington in Deja Vu. (Her next movie is Just Wright, with Common and Queen Latifah, due out this year.) Given how gorgeous she is, it's no shocker she wound up in front of the camera. Still, Paula insists she hasn't always felt confident about her looks. "Just like in Precious," she says, "we all have that feeling of looking into the mirror and not liking what we see."

Through Thicke and Thin If she ever doubted her beauty, someone else has always been convinced of it: Robin. The two started dating when she was 19 and he was 18. Fifteen years later (they've been married for almost five), the couple is still going strong. "He makes me feel beautiful," Paula says. "That's the best thing about having a partner—there is someone to tell you, 'Stop it. You look great!' Of course, he can't say anything else—he's been trained."

His support came in handy during a rough patch about two years ago. Between movies, Paula returned to her L.A. home "feeling lonely and just trying to figure out who I was." Making matters worse, she committed the cardinal Hollywood sin of—gasp!—gaining a few pounds. Shortly after, the couple attended a party and Paula wore "this baby-doll dress that made me look pregnant." The result: tabloid pregnancy rumors, which hurt. "That's when you realize you do care what people think."

Over time, Paula has grown more comfortable with seeing herself the way Robin does—enough to agree to grace the back cover of this issue, which contains a beauty bonus section. "The older I get, the more I accept and appreciate myself," she says. "I know if I enrich my mind and spirit, then I'll feel good. And when you feel good about yourself, it can't help but reflect on your outer beauty."

Paula's Feel-Good Guide How she stays healthy, happy, and stress-free

1. Breathe Deep "A year ago, I started doing Ashtanga yoga five or six days a week. Even if I do 30 minutes, I can clear my head. I've cut back during my pregnancy. I told my trainer I don't want to see the inside of a gym. She said, 'Don't worry. I'll have you back [in shape] in six weeks.' "

2. Go Green "I'm trying to eat smart because I don't want [losing the] postpregnancy weight to be difficult. There's this packet of nutrients called Green Vibrance, and I at least try to have that. I also try to eat a salad every day. I switched from drinking coffee to green tea, but I've been craving milk shakes. My trick for not giving in: Fill up with some fruit or water first, then see if I still want one."

3. Feed Your Face "Since I've been pregnant, my nails have been stronger and my hair is thicker. My skin has been dry though, so I use a lot of La Mer products. I've also been doing Intraceuticals oxygen facials and Shiseido eye masks. I'll pop them on and look fresher. I'm also loving my Clarisonic facial wash brush. It's my new toy." 4. Get Some Shut-Eye "When people say 'You have a pregnancy glow!' I wonder if it has to do with my healthier lifestyle. No more cocktails, and I'm getting more sleep than ever—nine or 10 hours a night. I was never that girl!"

Check out our behind-the-scenes video of Paula from the March cover shoot: ​

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